Alright guys i need some help.
IM doing a feild study on distance learning. And i thought to myself. What better place to get some opinions on the topic that in ibreathe?

What im asking of you guys, is for you to name the pros and the cons you believe distance learning has in an interactive forum like this one.

Id love to get opinions from students and teachers alike.

Thanks!

Bongo Boy

05-15-2003, 03:04 AM

Pros:

1. You have access to a very large number of experienced people who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives, so, you get good information but with the added bonus of it coming from many 'schools' of thought.

2. Your learning is at your own pace, and on your own schedule--and the school is never closed.

3. When you have questions or thoughts, they don't have to be structured around a particular class, a particular instructor or any particular theme.

4. A forum such as this blurs the traditional roles and boundaries of "teacher" vs "student". This is actually what I feel makes its so much more powerful than traditional education (at least in the US). Each of us can be both at the same time. Even MORE important is that, because of etiquette or accepted behavior here, we often see folks use a 'coaching' or 'mentoring' technique rather than a prescriptive approach. Traditional classrooms I believe tend to more often use the latter.

Cons:

1. Many of us learn far better with pictures, and through demonstration. The technology isn't yet widespread enough to allow 'whiteboard' collaboration for everyone, or to easily post short video clips to demonstrate technique, for example. Yes, the technology IS available, it's just not 'ubiquitous', as they say.

2. The teachers can't rap the student in the head with a conductor's baton when they #%$@ up. :D

Koala

05-15-2003, 04:02 AM

Originally posted by Bongo Boy
The teachers can't rap the student in the head with a conductor's baton when they #%$@ up. :D